Archive from Daisy's Journal - the early months (August and November - 2005)

     Daisy is the "Orange" (yarn collar) pup from Taffey's litter.  She is very "birdy", but outside of occasionally
     stalking her siblings, Daisy did not show any point the two days the litter was tested (at six weeks).   Four of
     the six pups showed quite a bit of point at less than seven weeks of age (just like Taffey).  Daisy had only one
     thing on her mind - charge!  Taffey was a second female pup pick and so is Daisy.  My derby dog?

     There is a story behind her name. It started a few years ago watching a young dog running some marks for my
     pro friend Brain Moyse.  Wow!  What a speedy, laser type runner she was. So the name kind of sets the tone,
     as far as I am concerned, for something on the flashy side.  When the litter arrived, the pup I was going to
     keep was to be called Daisy because the Dusty and Taffey pups will be very fast.  It was a special litter, and
     there were five female pups. 

     Unfortunately, "White" (because she was) was born without a tail, and she certainly didn't need a yarn collar
     to identify her.  She had difficult breathing at first, was the smallest at birth, very cute and a real fighter.  We
     knew she wasn't going to be sold, and a possible name was Kwick Gimmia A Chance with the call name of
     "Mia". She nursed Taffey, played with her siblings, snuggled with me a lot and made way more eye contact
     than any of the other pups at first.  As the four week time frame came upon us it was suddenly clear that
     there were other complications which would make it nearly impossible for her to carry on.

     Two difficult days (with lots of tears) revealed the sad, downside to being a breeder.  We went to the vets to
     stop any suffering.  At that moment I decided to call her Daisy.....you see,  she just had to have a name that
     meant something.  This  Daisy was wrapped in a whelping box blanket and buried in the front Hosta garden
     under a blue limestone rock.  A perennial Daisy, which hasn't bloomed yet, was planted for her.  The
     significance of the other "Orange" collared Kwick pup's name becomes the rest of the story...............Kwick
     Daisy's Spirit Keeper. 
    
     Born June 10th, makes December 10th her six month milestone.  Daisy will see lots of water this summer,
     then be an eager spectator in the fall and winter during hunting season.  Big goals!

     Aug 3  Blue left at 4:00 am and Weather.com looked good. We called on the way to check with Delta airlines
                at 4:30 am (That's when they open).  It was too far to wait and call, then leave. They said it was a go! 30
                minutes later they called back and said the wrong numbers were punched in and Salt Lake City would
                be over the 85° limit.........not according the Weather.com, but their own weather reports.  My favorite
                word seemed appropriate.......DUH! The result was 100 miles of driving and almost four hours of sleep
                lost.  Blue is now back in Daisy's "duplex" and gets two more days with his "Lab Babe".  Friday night
                Blue will try Northwest Airline's VIP pup cargo.  
     Aug 5  Blue left for Minneapolis. His flight for Helena had to be changed to Great Falls because of mechanical
                problems, but he made it.  
     Aug 6  Daisy is on her own today and she was introduced to her crate. Thinking about all my previous pups,
                it suddenly dawned on me that when "keeping one", the transition is totally different.  There is no trip,
                no new house, mom's smell is still around, the yard is the same and the people are familiar.  There is
                none of the stress.  Does it make a difference?  Will not having to make those adjustments be a plus?
                Daisy complained incessantly when the other dogs were near her and she could see me.  Moving the
                crate to the same area that Taffey and Kooly used proved to be the standard.  She soon fell asleep.
                Her crate will be kept there until it is comfortable for her. Daisy is much more of a beggar that either
                of Taffey or Kooly.  She would love to be spoiled.
     Aug 7  After working a field trial all day, the time is now right to begin the puppy routine - structured format.
                Pups thrive on predictable patterns that are fun and fair.
                            note: Daisy is quite obsessed with retrieving her paint roller & even pounces on a
                                     heavy 2" regular rubber bumper (snatching it up, bringing it back & holding it
                                     in the middle)

      Aug 8  the whelping "duplex" was taken down, a metal crate divider was placed inside it to cut the size
                 in half, went with Kooly and Taffey for their morning training session, Daisy helped me plant the
                 blinds & then watched the dogs work from her crate (very "yappy")
                            note: don't take her along when training with someone else   
                 started the "three hour" routine - confine & do "something" every three hours & confine
                            note: feeding at 6 am, noon & 6 pm 
                            note: things to do - take the "Walk", ride along during training sessions, feed, air, playtime
                                     alone in yard, playtime with someone in the house, retrieves (three or four with paint
                                     roller or bumper), a brief sit to eat, go outside, retrieve & put puppy collar on, lots of
                                     short chew times on a pig ear, with collar on there is tethered time in front of the TV
                            note: when she is "out and about" & supervised, her collar with a short tab is on
      Aug 9  watered & out at 3:00 am, aired at 6:45 am (no mistakes in house or crate since we started), fed ten
                 minutes later (1 cup of Pro Plan Large Breed puppy with a little warm water on it), out to air with
                 collar on, back to living room for "tether time", watched OLN duck hunting for half hour, chewed
                 pig ear & finished off with three short retrieves, back out to water & air, "kenneled up" with one
                 Pro Plan kibble (total morning time supervised 1 hour & 15 minutes, not looked at until 9:00 for a
                 quick airing & back in the crate with a "kibble kennel-up", somewhere around noon to 1:00 pm
                 she will be will be fed and the 7:00 am routine repeated
                             note: she knows the routine and seems quite content, while at the same time very excited
                                      about how it is going
                             note: no "walk" this morning, getting hot way too fast and the older dogs had to be trained
                                      by 9:00 am
     Aug 10 usual "stuff" today, no mistakes in the house and quickly goes outside, skipped retrieves this
                 morning and did four at 11:30 pm just before putting her "up" for the night - wow!  sat on her
                 own and stared at the bumper in my hand, after throwing she watched it hit the floor and then
                 went after it = very good focus for an eight week old pup
                             note: zips up and down the seven steps from the rec room to the living room & does well
                                      on the short tether sessions
                             note: the crying and barking in the crate have ceased
    Aug 11 normal day  the usual "stuff"
    Aug 12 normal day plus "The Walk" at BT's in the evening
    Aug 13 normal day around the house
    Aug 14 early morning walk around the block on leash (easy, quick study), rest of day's activities cancelled
                because of teenage, two legged "puppy" (David) - broken wrist requiring surgery   
    Aug 15 trip to vets to start series of permanent shots Daisy (already has had temporary Parvo & Distemper)
                walk this morning 3/4 mile around the block & evening "The Walk" in BT's training grounds
                            note: weight at two months - 14.4 pounds
                            note: Daisy had her first experience with "hide-an-seek''
    Aug 16 my last day before officially becoming a senior citizen, normal "stuff" around the house
                and another long "Walk" at BT's toward evening
    Aug 17 worked taking down the top cover on the flight pen & Daisy spent the morning outside, late
                afternoon we took a walk through Kinnikinnick Creek Conservation Area  
    Aug 18 heavy rains this morning & just spent the day around the house, Daisy is becoming quite a "yapper",
               carefully making sure not to reward the behavior with either negative or positive reactions (just ignore
               until she stops & then go about what ever was planned), the isolated crate in the pool area is  very
               helpful
                           note: second dose of Panacur today at noon 
                           note: start feeding her on a place board in the morning
    Aug 19 today was another day of "yapping" & after watching her closely the read is she just needs more to do
                           note: finished Panacur treatment 
                           note: need to work on some fun games which require very little control
                                    strengths:
                                    1) very observant & focused, 2) likes motion and retrieving, 3) kind of compulsive already
                                    (need to turn that into positive actions), 4) very happy pup (just plain excited about any
                                    thing), 5) surprisingly focused on anything "intriguing"
                                                These all translate into a need for more action with a more substantial and
                                                predictable structure.
                                    weaknesses: 1) very demanding for attention and 2) over bonded (if that's possible) 
                                                These will require activities where there is minimal external presence (promote
                                                independence & comfort).
                           note: Spend the next week designing "the program" starting with random lists of activities,
                                    locations, equipment. Design with a specific focus and rationale to emphasize strengths
                                    and overcome weaknesses.  When she is finished teething, a routine of teaching and
                                    learning will have been established. Do a well known activity first, present the new
                                    "thing" next and finish with something she is really good at and likes. These three
                                    things must not last more than five minutes.  The routine of presentation will be
                                    preceded and concluded with a minimum of 30 minutes crate time.  
    Aug 20 Daisy rode with Kooly to watch Taffey run a Finished HRC test, afterwards Daisy did her first water
                retrieves - gravel runway pond at Bong Recreational Area, WI (see photo gallery below)
                           note:  the only water Daisy has been in before today is the backyard "kiddy" pool 
    Aug 21 rather bland day, normal around the house "stuff" because Taffey was running a hunt test and two days
                in a row on the truck was going to be a bit much
    Aug 22 Daisy helped plant five blinds for Kooly with a few orange bumpers thrown for her to retrieve, afterwards
              a full size Red Head Dokken was thrown for her to "mess with".  Wow!  She didn't mess around!

    Aug 23 normal "stuff" plus did "The Walk" in a new area at BT's & she is beginning to "move out" (especially
               when we are walking into the wind)
    Aug 24 ran three remote winger marks (20 yards with a 2 X 10" rubber bumper), picked up the bumper on the
               arc, watched the fall and retrieved to hand (when taking down the winger she was running around
               looking for more bumpers)
                      note: parked the truck so she could get a good look at Kooly running his triple, the .22 blank 
                               gun never bothered her
    Aug 25 ran three remote winger land marks at "The Square Pond" (better known as puppy land - a nice pond
                with mowed grass and lots of easy terrain changes), went down by the pond with camera in hand in
                case Daisy did what I thought she would do  
                      note: link to pictures of the retrieve - Daisy's 1st Deep Water Retrieve (Link)
                      note: OK, I'll say it.....this pup is more scary precocious than Taffey. 
    Aug 26 Daisy rode along with Kooly & Daisy to train at Stoughton, helped set-up and ran around checking
                things out, between set-ups she gets two short land marks and then gets to check out a decoy & getting
                no verbal encouragement from me, she was unable to "grab" it she comes back from her swim, then
                she picks up a bumper thrown past the decoy which she ignores (except for a couple of glances)
 Aug 27 normal "stuff" around the house
 Aug 28 rode along to Gallagher's training grounds and helped set-up two winger doubles for Kooly
             and Taffey, afterwards she watched those two work with a good view from the truck, when they
             finished it was her turn, retrieved two remote winger marks from the same pond & then helped
             me "clean up" (she's having fun & went for a couple of swims on her own)
 Aug 29 slow day around the house (no retrieves) and worked on "no-yapping"
             Interceptor & Frontline Plus
 Aug 30 rode along to train with Kooly and afterwards ran two water singles (met her at the pond's edge)
             swallowed a bunch of water and still brought the bumper in, stopped fooling around with her &
             put the Dogta "Yapper Zapper" on (she handled Level 4 just fine - no more noise)
                     note: need to be very careful fitting and moving it (prongs) as her little puppy neck is delicate
             This evening we tried the method Brent reminded me of - put some pennies in an aluminum soft
             drink can and make a lot of noise with it when she "yaps". Initially she was startled, but stopped
             barking, laid down and relaxed.    
                     note: stopped at vet's on the way home to buy some Frontline Plus for the older dogs
                              Daisy weighs 20.4 pounds and is eating well (at two months she was 14.4 pounds)
  Sept 1 rode along and watched all the dogs run marks, long morning and then got a couple of easy
             marks at break time
  Sept 2 watch all the dogs train (good view) at Brian's, tossed a clipped wing shackled pigeon for her to
             fetch - very possessive and would not return (It's mine!) need to avoid retrieving birds unless on a
             check cord
  Sept 3 spent a lot of the day in the house, did a long "Walk" at Kinnikinnick Creek Conservation Area,
             starting to sit before leaving crate and after exiting to put on her collar, same routine at the house
             doors and establishing routine for entering/exiting the crate in the truck
  Sept 4 spent the day on the truck at Kooly's hunt test and was about as perfect a pup as you could ask,
             (evening) retrieved some bumpers from the indoor swimming pool & knows where the steps out are
  Sept 5 went to help with training at Brian's and she is a little lady on the truck
                     note: can't help but think that Kooly's laid back attitude on the truck has set a good example
                              for Daisy
  Sept 6 slow day as far as activity, but she did have some neighbors come in to visit and play with her
                     note: Daisy did do a little more swimming late this afternoon
  Sept 7 rode along for a training day, got some water retrieves in the pool at night
  Sept 8 trained with Brian and Linda, Daisy had her first ducks and primer pistol session - she scarfed up
             the ducks "real easy", check cord was a must as she wasn't about to "give'em up"
                      note: sat, focused on the throw and very determined to the two marks - neat!
  Sept 9 went to train Brian's test dogs including Taffey (Daisy's mom)
  Sept 10-11 easy days around the house - it's hot outside!, waited for news about Taffey - two HRC
             Finished passes and an HRCH title this weekend - Daisy's mom is looking good 
  Sept 12 played and did some simple leash OB
  Sept 13 went to vet's for second series of puppy shots, weight 24.3 pounds (three months)
                       note: went for a long walk in the close alfalfa field, threw four 2" rubber bumper marks
                                working to a slight remote sit at about five yards, released on flight of the bumper
                       note: work on more visual marking in the mowed grass at the "Square Pond"
  Sept 14 went for a long walk in the alfalfa field (just the two of us) and picked up three marks
    Sept 15 went along to train with the older dogs, Brian threw two ducks for her (birdy little girl!)
  Sept 16 three remote winger singles at the Square Pond (need longer check cord - I'm not quick enough)
               ran two water marks almost to the other side of the pond, entry slopes, mud, lunging water swim
                        note: exceptional focus and drive, time to start warming up to the idea of more leash
                                 time, long check cord and eventual e-collar to "here"
  Sept 17 work on first day of easy OB imprinting (two five minute sessions and wear dummy collar)
  Sept 18 basic day around the house, but doing more to the door and out on a leash, sit at the door an
               after exiting (has that down), bumper holds in living room
  Sept 19 rode to Brian's and spent the morning on the truck, easy day at home, bumper holds again
  Sept 20 rode along to train with a group, got there early and worked with check cord and very short
               retrieves and a much easier gentle "here", Daisy handled this well - got to remember to keep
               moving along slowly, she is such a high energy pup it easy to get swept up in the "rush"
                        note: fast dog......work slow
                        note: started putting two fingers in her mouth and teaching "quiet" mouth (no munching
                                 or mouthing (caught on quickly)
  Sept 21 rode along with Kooly to train with group at Gallagher, first time she has ever been staked out
               and handled that well, few Kwick bumper marks on the end of a check cord
                        note: continued with the two fingers in mouth drill (much easier today)
                        note: this puppy is pure energy & will sit and stare at a bumper in your hand fully
                                 expecting another throw
                        note: Daisy is sleeping hard tonight
  Sept 22 rode along to BT's for group training, got a couple of short duck marks (check cord on & "spiraled"
               in for the return) 
                        note: need to work on drop  
  Sept 23 Daisy is doing quite well on the sitting "exercises" - before coming out of the crate, afterwards to
               put on her collar, before a door to exit the house and the reverse of those (started extending those
               a bit more today, in and out of her kennel in the truck is down pat and she loves riding along with
               the older dogs
                        note: need to work on a more reliable 'here"
  Sept 24 After introducing the pinch collar to her a few minutes a day over the last few weeks, she was taken
               on a ¾ mile walk around the block with Kooly at heel (on the other side).  There was no talking and
               no expectations. but the leash was kept short enough to keep her in the general area of heeling.
               Kooly was as calm as a "cucumber" (especially when he realized Daisy was not going to be all over
               him). She did well. When Taffey was that age, she regularly "jumped" up like a prong horn antelope
               at heel. It must be genetic.  
  Sept 25 easy day in the house
  Sept 26 long walk in the forest preserve, took a bunch of pictures & ended up playing in Kinnikinnick Creek
               on the road in with the culverts....Daisy took a quick look up one of the culverts and it must have
               reminded her of "The Tunnel". Next thing I know she is coming out the other end and upstream.   
  Sept 27 walk around the block and the normal house "stuff"
  Sept 28 did about eight water retrieves today - very cold tonight and water temp's are going to drop for a
               few days (Daisy loves the water)
  Sept 29 Today, the parading with a bumper and playing "You can't get me if I don't want you to." is over. The
               check cord is OK, but she goes into a "death spiral" on the way back.  Daisy has been wearing a bark
               collar for quite awhile. It is the same size as the e-collar. She has responded to the bark collar very
               well. A minute to find out her minimum level and she decided bringing bumpers right to me on "here"
               is a really great idea after all. Smart pup, no anxiety with minimum pressure and a whole lot better
               than reeling her in, check cord tangled around her fast little legs and pulling her neck sideways
                        note: Smart pup and resilient just like her mom! Taffey handled this situation exactly the same
                                 way. The timing was right and no big deal.  A small amount of restraint on "here" will 
                                 finalize this concept. There will be no other use for the e-collar until formal OB when
                                 collar conditioning is "sequenced".   
                        note: disclaimer - don't even attempt  this approach unless you have the ideal pup that has
                                 been properly prepared and you know exactly what you are doing, what to expect and
                                 how to react
  Sept 30 walk around the block
  Oct   1   easy morning & walk at the Square Pond early evening = three land & two water marks
  Oct   2   very warm day, walk around the block at dusk (¾ of a mile), Interceptor & Frontline Plus
  Oct   3   short walk at the Square Pond
  Oct   4   up the ante on sit (starting very short, in front, step back remotes)
  Oct   5   work on "here"
  Oct   6  long walk in the alfalfa field with short remote sit marks (very focused on sit meaning a mark)
                         note: "here" is getting better, but she is mischievously independent
  Oct   7  easy day around the house, worked on her "busy" mouth
                         note: Daisy snapped up my tennis shoe just as she was released to go outside, this proved to
                                  be very interesting, a couple of "heres" made the rule of giving a command that cannot
                                  be enforced a clear concept, stepped inside the door to hide and she just ran around
                                  sniffing and playing without dropping it, all the while checking out the door where I had
                                  disappeared, after a few minutes, making several clever teasing feints at maybe coming
                                  in, curiosity got the best of her and she finally did (still with very nice hold on the shoe),
                                  what a punk!  
  Oct   8 long walk at BT's near dusk, worked on a few here's and remote sits by the truck at the end
                        note: tethered later & worked on "busy" mouth plus started "teaching" how to relax
  Oct   9 walked about 45 minutes through ideal puppy cover at the Rockton Road DTA, did six remote sit/here
                        note: does the same thing Taffey did on the remote "here" comes flying straight at me and then
                                 blasts right past, did not see this as a problem until later with Taffey & it took quite
                                 awhile to correct
  Oct   10 four months old = at least two more months of being a puppy (kind of  ), ran some pheasant cover
               at Blonhaven for about 30 minutes, no birds and afterwards ran three short remote sit marks
                         note: Daisy is sitting nicely by herself remotely for the marks and returns to hand now
                                  the short e-collar intro ( just a couple of days) and kneeling down is working quite
                                  well, also, the bumper is not taken from her until the "thrill" of bringing it back subsides
  Oct   11-12 easy "stuff" around the house and still working on teaching how to relax (tethered)
  Oct   13 walk at the Square Pond, one water retrieve and four longer land retrieves
                         note: remote sits for marks getting better and remote "sit/here" is excellent 
                         note: on a leash she is still all over the place & don't want to get after her yet, with winter
                                  timed the way it is, by Jan 10th she will be seven months old, teething should be
                                  completed and February would be a good time time to start on FF, that would put us
                                  into March with weather ideal for pile work and leading to swim-by at just the right
                                  time as the water warms up, handling and de-cheating with maybe a few derbies in
                                  August and September (14-15 months old), October, November and December hunting
                                  and then maybe three months winter training in the south preparing for derbies in
                                  April, May and first week of June (21-23 months old), train all summer and then
                                  Masters & QAA with Kooly  (Dream Day)
  Oct   14 (morning) long walk at Macktown DTA in heavy cover with four remote sit retrieves in the short
               grass nursery area, (afternoon) vet appointment for Daisy's final shots weight 34.9 lbs estimate of
               34 lbs on 10/10 four months old
   Oct  15 ran with Kooly and Taffey at Blonhaven, eventually started to leave them alone and went into the
               cover on her own, staked out to watch Kooly and Taffey run the pattern blind drill, had two remote
               sit marks & slept well the rest of the day
   Oct  16 went for some exercise at the alfalfa field after the sun went down (bright moon and open field was
               still very clear), threw a few remote sit marks out to about 50 yards (laser pick-ups), threw a couple
               of Dokken fun bumpers and worked on "here"
                         note: Daisy loves picking up bumpers, just like Taffey (striking similarities) 
   Oct  17 worked on remote sit, "here" and front sit with place boards (twice today for 3-4 minutes)
   Oct  18 started a bit more structured sit, remote sit, "here", front sit and heel/sit left and right today using a
               flexi-lead - Daisy thinks it is just another game, her tail is wagging continually and her focus is
               totally on me - she likes the "game" (twice-a-day for 2-3 minutes each time)
                         note: Daisy is always looking for something to do and "anything" is all she needs, it makes
                                  no difference what it is.  She is demonstrating the learning/training mode and is looking
                                  for action. Now is the time to introduce a more structured, predictable routine with
                                  something she knows (familiar & review), something new (exciting & stimulating) and
                                  ending with something she likes to maintain the joy of lessons. It is not yet formal
                                  obedience, but rather guiding and showing things and actions to do in a game format.
                                  There is no enforcement as a consequence, rather a physical and emotional bond in
                                  doing something together. We are becoming a team and establishing roles. This is
                                  somewhat abstract, but the pup dictates the pace.
   Oct 19 worked two very short sessions of sit, here, heel with the flexi-lead & in the evening took a walk
              around the block on lead, late evening tossed four short doubles (3 yds and 8 yards at 45°) in the
              "training room", first three she did not remember the "memory toss", but saw it each time when
              held and pointed in that direction = picked it up, on the fourth as soon as she handed over the "go
              toss" she wheeled to look for and pounce on the "memory toss" 
                         note: right afterwards she was fed, watered, aired and "put to bed" for the night (10:00 am)
  Oct  20 walk around the block and, short flexi-lead session & a couple of doubles
  Oct  21 repeat of yesterday
  Oct  22 stayed home when the other three dogs went on a guided hunt, long walk at BT's near dusk
                         note: still very demanding for attention when crated, it's not doing any good though 
  Oct  23 (morning & afternoon) did two sessions of remote sit, here, front sit OB drills, worked on heeling
              and front sit/heeling (using Flexi-lead), ran the erosion strips in a corn field near the Square Pond
              at dusk, the two of us went after dropping off the three "big" dogs at home
                         note: Daisy is dynamic doing OB (just super ecstatic about trying anything)   
  Oct 24  two sessions of OB and three retrieves with semi-expectation of returning to hand, no rush to take
              bumper
  Oct 25  two sessions of "relaxing" tethered to me watching TV plus the usual OB "games" 
  Oct 26  repeat of yesterday plus two hours of helping me clean up the tomato plants (frost tonight)
                         note: Daisy is so much like Taffey - what a neat pup she is!
  Oct 27  OB early afternoon inside, ran five or six Dokken marks at the Square Pond, Daisy was
              returning to hand just  like in her OB drill routine until the third bird = full blown keep away,
              went to hide behind the truck & counted to 110...still wasn't enough = but it cooled me off  ,
              final mark she was fine 
  Oct 28  two OB sessions with the Flexi-lead, tethered session by TV in the evening working on relaxing
  Oct 29  walk around the block with two-sided heeling, remote sit/here/front sit and wheeling to side
              sit position, usual house play, crated from 8:30 am until 4:00 pm as we went to a funeral, Daisy
              handled this well - good pup! (8 hours & way beyond any previous crating stint)
                          note: Daisy's "yapping and whining" for attention has noticeably decreased
  Oct 30  focused on general OB, working slower and using a low, quiet voice
  Oct 31 Today was just for the pups. Kooly will be two in November and he needed a little time to review
             pheasants in the upland. Daisy will be five months old in two weeks. The three of us arrived at
             Blonhaven Hunt Club about 10:30 am and it was a perfect morning – cool, decent scenting conditions
             and plenty of cover.

             It didn’t take her long to get excited when the crate of chukars were thrown in the back of the truck.
             Daisy was first and got four chukars planted one at a time to hunt up and flush (no shooting). It was
             to be her first live bird imprinting in the uplands. She’d already had live quail in the backyard when
             she was a little over six weeks old. After four finds and flushes, she was not totally convinced that
             fly-a-ways weren’t catch’able. Daisy was crated, but her attitude was strictly, “I want more!”

             Kooly got one chukar to work on sit-to-flush, and then we set out for scratch birds. The cover is waist
             high or better with a ton of tough, dense sorghum. The run in him is excellent. After we managed to
             scratch out four pheasants, it was back to the truck for water.

             Daisy is gun conditioned and her OB is not bad. So she came out to run with Kooly for maybe 20
             minutes to finish up. She was all over him…..jumping on his back, biting his ears and hanging on
             every move. Kooly was very forgiving, but soon hit the cover to loose her. Kooly flushed up a
             pheasant and suddenly, Daisy was no longer interested in him. She started hunting – nose down
             and tail a waggin”. My first reaction was to head for the truck, but we took the long way back.

             Kooly was pushing another pheasant when Daisy shot off to the left and rushed what turned out to
             be a rooster. He was completely caught off guard by the move and flushed from underneath Daisy’s
             nose. I dropped him and Kooly went for the retrieve. I’m sure he had the pheasant first, but the
             next thing I know, Daisy is walking back to me with a rooster in her mouth. She wasn’t supposed
             to have a bird shot over her today, but it was her time. Tomorrow she goes back to just being
             a puppy.
  Nov  1 two sessions of OB using Flexi- lead - same routine remote sit/"here" with a front finish and then
             right or left heel, heeling and sitting on both sides 
  Nov  2 repeat of two sessions (less than five minutes) plus tether/relax time
  Nov  3 repeat two sessions plus tether/relax time 
  Nov  4 Daisy rode along with the other three dogs to Blonhaven for a tower shoot, afterwards she ran with
             Lick to look for cripples, Steve shot a rooster in another field and his dogs could not retrieve it,
             Daisy had a nice 20 yard mark, picked it up and returned it to hand - good puppy! Finished the
             session running with three older dogs and seems to have gotten over the pouncing, ear biting and
             just plain being a pest - good puppy again
                      note: she has learned a lot this week - different perspective on what's up
                      note: Daisy has been teething for a few days now 
  Nov  5 repeat of two sessions (less than five minutes) plus tether/relax time, three short retrieves (twice)
  Nov  6 repeat of two sessions (less than five minutes) plus tether/relax time, three short retrieves (twice)
             Frontline Plus
  Nov  7 one session similar to yesterday and two 50 yard winger marks at Macktown DTA
                      note: no check cord and returned to hand - good puppy!
  Nov  8 Daisy helped me plant the pattern blinds at Macktown DTA, worked on OB with the Flexi-lead,
             ran two remote winger singles about 45 yards each (used paint rollers - teething) and used a
             looped slip lead for slight restraint at the line
                       note: say "sit" when she knows there is going to be a mark and Daisy's butt hits the ground
                                looking for what is going to produce a mark (excellent focus)
  Nov  9 one OB routine in the "game" room and the "relax tether" session on the living room floor
             Interceptor
  Nov 10 two remote winger marks at Macktown
  Nov 11 Daisy rode along with the "big three" for a guided hunt, stayed in her crate and watched, heard
             shooting and smelled the birds, got out to run around a bit, "here" with distractions not very
             good, still teething
  Nov 12 two OB routines in the "game" room and the "relax tether" session on the living room floor
  Nov 13 tower shoot day, afterwards the "team" rode up to Monroe to check out Steve's deer blinds,
              Daisy and Hera (Orange and Red sisters in Taffey's litter) fought, played, ran through the woods
              and meadow while swimming in the creek and pond (they still look almost alike)                
  Nov 14 two OB routines in the "game" room and the "relax tether" session on the living room floor,
              three marks in a stickmen set-up, started working with a bumper on hold (teething over)
  Nov 15 hold lessons are about a minute long, two-three good holds right after eating and airing, Daisy
              thinks it is cool. tail wagging and happy, she sits square and eagerly takes the bumper, the best
              thing is that the earlier "glove work" got her over the very busy mouth thing, she will now "drop"
              a shoe if I give the command (she love to run loose and grab "stuff" up off the floor)
                        note: taking a very low key approach on hold (one or two in a few seconds), her OB is
                                 improving, but her puppy energy is way more than she can still deal with, she will
                                 continue with the tether lessons (relaxing and quiet time), the plan is to spend at
                                 least month five, six and into seven maturing, reaching off leash OB standards and
                                 getting a solid hold and here down pat before moving on to the ear pinch & FF
                        note: the plan - force fetched finished by March when she will be 9 months old, ready for T
                                 and by the time that is over -  water will be warmed up well, a lot of basic marking
                                 will have been accomplished (late May) and ready for swim-by and de-cheating
                        note: Sept/Oct at 15/16 months we may do a couple of derbies & decide whether going
                                 south for four months is justified 
  Nov 16 rode along on guided hunt trip, OB session in the evening and work on hold (short session)
  Nov 17- 20 Ob, walks and hold,  trimmed nails
  Nov 21 trip to the vet to check on what appears to be a scar near her eye, watch for another week
                        note: weight 43 pounds at five months
  Nov 22 start back with winger marks and continue easy OB, start wearing e-collar regularly
                        note: to the trainer.....slow down you have all winter
                        note: so the above turned into nothing but ear scratches, some quiet time and a few
                                 "Kwick Bumpers" to hold  
                        note: off leash still wild - but showing some signs of changing
  Nov 23 OB - sit, heel, two-sided & hold, walk - still needs to be tethered in the house
  Nov 24 worked on OB at "moving" time in the house, two simple marks in the
             front yard (off lead retrieve, heel return delivery good)
  Nov 25 rode along to Blonhaven with the older dogs - guided hunt, work on here,
             heel, sit and hold (two sided), did one mark at Blonhaven and a short pickup
             of a fresh pheasant (getting better about "drop")
  Nov 26 repeat of Nov 24th
  Nov 27 OB repeats in the "play room" - heel, sit, remote sit/here and hold remote sit here plus six
              short marks (wearing e-collar)
  Nov 28 ran six 40-60 yard marks with a large canvass bumper at the McCurry Road short grass DTA
                         note: wearing e-collar & just beat the rain
                         note: working  very short sessions of hold twice a day using a Kwick Bumper 
  Nov 29 ran two 60 yard marks at the baseball diamond - Noah as the bird boy
                         note: OB & hold in game room
                         note: Daisy is fast!
                         note: cut rubber mats for single dog boxes out of 4'X6'  ½ rubber mat - Farm & Fleet
                                  enough left for the double (comes out to $10 per box)
  Nov 30 ran two singles at 75 yds using a canvass bumper and large Dokken (different area of the
             baseball field, wearing the e-collar) -  good focus, fast out & back plus much better returns  
                         note: QB & hold in game room - steady "here/heel" reps are now carrying over into
                                  the field on her marks
                         note: switched to feeding twice a day
                         note: Daisy now sits at the door without a command once in awhile, kennel-up is solid,
                                  on heel she is still very "busy" and off leash in the house she is a terror (not as
                                  bad as a month ago)
                         note: Daisy takes corrections really well (just like Taffey)...........shows no pout or quit &
                                  when all that extra energy gets channeled.......look out!